Radnor Township PA Area Guide

Located in the rolling countryside of outside of Philadelphia, the community of Radnor Township, Pennsylvania is rich in history yet full of potential. Radnor’s residents get to enjoy the benefits of beautiful parks, a great downtown area, excellent municipal services, and award-winning schools and universities like Bryn Mawr and Villanova Universities. Home to both global corporations and small business, Radnor Township is also full of economic potential. Radnor Township made the list as one of Fortune Small Business Magazine’s top 100 “Best Places to Live and Launch” and as “The Best Place to Live in the Suburbs” by Philadelphia Magazine.

History of Radnor

Radnor Township was founded 1682 as a land grant from William Penn. The township was originally settled by Welsh Quakers and named after Radnorshire in Wales. Al though the Welsh established a Meeting House in the area, their influence diminished in the late 1700s as high taxation drove many out of the Radnor area. Stone monuments were erected in various locations throughout the township in the late twentieth century to commemorate the township’s Welsh heritage.
Some of the historic structures from Radnor Township’s early history include the Sorrel House, a former tavern located on Conestoga Road that sheltered George Washington and Lafayette after the Battle of Brandywine. The inn is now part of the facility of the Agnes Irwin School.
Some of this nation’s earliest thoroughfares passed through Radnor. Lancaster Pike, the first toll road in the United States, connected the cities of Philadelphia and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, passing through Radnor Township, opened in 1794. In 1832, the Pennsylvania Railroad set down tracks through Radnor. This railroad would later be called the “Main Line” and many communities along this route came to be known as Main Line towns. The Philadelphia and Western Railroads also were established through Radnor in the early 20th century. Portions of both the Main Line and the P&W railroads are now used by SEPTA (Philadelphia’s transit system) and AMTRAK.

Parks and Recreation

The Radnor Township Parks and Recreation Department supervises over 600 acres of park land and sponsors over 200 recreation programs throughout the year, and operates the historic Willows Mansion Banquet Facility & Park. In Radnor Township’s over 25 parks, residents can enjoy recreational amenities like playgrounds, athletic fields and a great deal of scenic, open space. Radnor Township most recently added Radnor Multi-Purpose Trail (P&W Trail) in April 2005. This trail is a great place for walking, jogging, hiking, mountain biking, and rollerblading.

Other notable facilities among Radnor Township’s parks include the Radnor Skatepark facility, a cutting edge facility including of a number of obstacles suited for enthusiasts of skateboarding, aggressive in-line skating, and free style BMX, as well as the St. David’s Community Park, a scenic facility where the Radnor Summer Concert Series Children’s Concert is held.